Customer service is often found in job ads, even in jobs that you wouldn’t necessarily think customer service is really important for. Employers want people who can present professionally in a friendly and approachable manner. Whether you are applying for a cashier, construction flagger, administrative assistant or human resources manager, your ability to demonstrate customer service skills that meets or even better, exceeds expectations, is exceedingly important.
Customer service is taking care of the customer’s needs by providing and delivering professional, helpful, quality service and assistance before, during, and after the interaction. Great customer service involves promptness, professionalism, politeness and personalized attention.
Employers want people who:
- Listen effectively to determine and meet customer needs – understand verbal and non-verbal cues
- Interact positively with both co-workers and customers and create/maintain a positive environment
- Strive to meet and exceed expectations of both the employer and the customers
- Create and maintain a positive impression of the company or organization
Think of ways how you demonstrate your customer service skills. Are you a natural? Could you improve? Try and imagine what customers would think about you. Have you ever had customer service that exceeded your expectations? What was memorable about that experience?
If you are looking for a way to add your customer service skills to your resume, you could use words like attend, help, assist, extend, deliver, etc. to start accomplishment statements.
Information gathered for this entry comes from the Agilec – Employment Rights and Responsibilities Workshop and Ontario Skills Passport website. For information about an upcoming workshop, contact 1-800-361-4642 and we can get you connected!
by Anna Bennett
Professional Career Services and Web Based Services Consultant
Agilec
